Introduction: If there's one bait that defines bass fishing for me it's the spinnerbait. As a youth, excited over the lore of bass fishing and taking in every show I could catch by Orland Wilson, Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston, Bill Dance, and Hank Parker, what stuck out in my mind was the action footage of seeing one of them throw that white spinnerbait next to a laydown or flooded timber and seeing the flash of a fish darting out to take their bait. I remember the exhilaration I felt experiencing that first hit I received while throwing a spinnerbait during my formative bass fishing years on Clear Lake, CA.

Introducing Molix's Mike Iaconelli Lover Spinnerbait.

Fast forward to today and I can't recall the last time I threw a spinnerbait regularly - jaded much? But when I caught a glimpse of Molix's new interpretation of this bait at ICAST, I was excited over the prospect of having a new blade to throw and write about. Here now is our take on Molix's new Mike Iaconelli designed Lover Spinnerbait.

Molix Mike Iaconelli Lover SpinnerbaitSpecifications

Type

Willow Leaf Spinnerbait

Depth

Any

Skirt Material

Silicone

Weight

1/2 oz only

Colors/Patterns

8

Hook

OMTD Hook

Additional Features

Ball Bearing Swivels, Hand Tied Skirt

MSRP

$12.99

The unique characteristic of this bait, of course, is how the three blades are presented.

Impressions: Molix's new Mike Iaconelli Lover Spinnerbait features three willow leaf blades, but what makes it interesting isn't the fact it has three blades. It's how these blades are configured that make the bait standout. This spinnerbait is essentially a mini-umbrella rig presenting the blades and spinnerbait head in the orientation of a mini-baitball instead of all in one line like a traditional spinnerbait.

They radiate out from a central spot like an umbrella
rig.

The line tie for this bait is more like one found on standard, plastic plug, closed off at the bottom. But at the base of the line tie is a small mass of metal that serves as a base for the three blade arms that radiate out from this point. The line tie wire extends down directly to the spinnerbait head. It's a somewhat complex geometry but is presented in a clean package complete with ball bearing swivels attached to the willow leaf blades and a realistic spinnerbait swimming head leading to the OMTD hook.

The bait's silicone skirt
appears to be hand tied.

Real World Tests: Not only did I have a new spinnerbait to throw, but I had a new rod with which to throw it on. G.Loomis recently refreshed their MBR GLX lineup and as soon as they were available, I picked up one of my classic favorites, the MBR842C GLX. I matched this rod with the Editor's Choice Award winning Shimano Chronarch MGL spooled with 12lb Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon, attached the Lover Spinnerbait to the end of the line and had at it.

Rigged and ready to go.

The Lover Spinnerbait is only available in one size, half ounce (1/2oz) so the question of how easily does it cast isn't much of an issue. One thing that does take some getting used to is seeing the bait's mass fly through the air as you're trying to pinpoint where you want to place the lure. There's something about the two dimensional profile of a standard spinnerbait versus the three dimensional mass of the Lover Spinnerbait that gives you the false impression that the Lover is difficult to cast into tight spaces.